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NBA Trade Grades: Kyrie Irving dealt to Celtics

By Michael Whitlow

BOSTON, MA - MAY 17: Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half during Game One of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 17, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 17: Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half during Game One of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 17, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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In a shocking turn of events late in the NBA offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded disgruntled point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for a package that included All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas. Let’s grade the trade for both teams.

The NBA’s Opening Night just got a whole lot crazier with the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas and a package to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Not only do these two teams play each other to open up their regular seasons this year, they were widely seen as the two best teams in the depleted Eastern Conference heading into the 2017-18 season.

Now, things have gotten a bit more different and a bit more strange atop the East. LeBron James’ new right-hand man is 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas. James may not have wanted to see Irving gone, but in the end, Cleveland got a good package for the Game 7 hero of a couple seasons ago.

The Cavaliers are entering what could be the final year of the best run in franchise history. LeBron is set to become a free agent at season’s end with no telling what he’s going to do next summer with the ball in his court yet again with a free agency decision to make.

Although former league MVP Derrick Rose, Isaiah Thomas, two-way wing Jae Crowder, the young Ante Zizic and the coveted Brooklyn Nets’ first-round pick in the 2018 draft belong to Cleveland after the Irving deal, it doesn’t feel like enough to not only get them out of the East, but to get over that high hump staring them in the face from across the country in the Golden State Warriors.

As for Boston, they’ve had one of the most eventful summers out of any franchise in the NBA. They traded the No. 1 overall pick in the draft down to No. 3, where they took Jayson Tatum. Despite the questionable move, Tatum showed promise during his play in summer league.

Along with the swap of picks with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics persuaded Utah Jazz forward Gordon Heyward to join the gang in green on a new max deal. Add Irving into the picture and the Celtics look like the most formidable team in the Eastern Conference, which isn’t really saying much after the events of this summer, but back-to-back 1-seeds and an NBA Finals berth isn’t out of the question for Boston.

Grading the trade for the Boston Celtics

For the shorter term, this trade does wonders for the Celtics. They nabbed one of the three heads in the vaunted three-headed attack from Cleveland and the better of the two point guards overall in the deal. Kyrie Irving, Gordon Heyward, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Morris and Al Horford looks good atop the rotation, but the C’s gave up a lot to get Irving, who is still technically under contract through the 2019-20 season.

The latter part is the good part, but when you give up a coveted draft pick like the Brooklyn Nets pick of next year, your All-Star point guard from last season and a big man who may or may not be a legit NBA player down the line and a proven wing like Jae Crowder, that seems like a lot to get a point guard who has similar defensive inefficiencies as the guard you just traded away.

If the prospects don’t come along and Irving’s past injury troubles flare up again along with his glaring defensive problems, this trade could be looked down by a lot of fans in green.

Grade: C-

Grading the trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers

Koby Altman, come on down! You’re the winner of the NBA’s Executive of the Year award already. This is a fantastic deal for Cleveland. Sure, it doesn’t look strong right now. Isaiah Thomas is coming off a serious hip issue. Ante Zizic may or may not be a good player. Jae Crowder can be a liability offensively.

Still, getting a promising asset for Kyrie Irving in the form of the Nets pick, an expiring contract of a star like Isaiah Thomas who you don’t have to pay after next season and wonderful value on Crowder’s deal (along with an actual big on the roster) is a hell of a haul for the rookie general manager. Throw in Cedi Osman into the fold and the Cavs are still contenders in the East.

The Cavs are also set up nicely next season to start fresh with James potentially in the fold still, a really high draft pick and a young wing who can help spell LeBron some minutes on the floor.

Next: Every NBA team's greatest playoff moment

And, with James on the floor this season, they’ll still be in the hunt to make it back to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight time because it’s LeBron James.

Grade: A-

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